Just days after having his face plastered all over racist flyers that labeled him a terrorist, Ravi Bhalla has been elected the new mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey. Bhalla, an Indian-American Sikh who was born and raised in Jersey, beat out five other mayoral candidates to become the first Sikh mayor in the history of the state.
This victory is just as much a political victory as it is a moral victory. This past Friday, four days before the election, reprehensible flyers were found strewn around the streets of Hoboken calling Bhalla a terrorist and warning people not to vote for him.
When Bhalla caught wind of the slander, he took the high road and vowed not to let hate win.
As we can tell by the results of the mayoral election, hate indeed was defeated on Tuesday night.
Prior to being elected mayor, Bhalla served two terms on Hoboken’s City Council and also worked as a civil rights activist and attorney. As a City Council member, he accomplished a great deal for Hoboken including helping to lower the city’s taxes, preventing the hospital in Hoboken from closing, and improving the city’s financial status. He also previously launched a campaign to reform visitation policies at jails and prisons around the country. As mayor, he plans to continue focusing on issues such as infrastructure, fiscal responsibility, and the environment.
Congratulations on the big win Mr. Bhalla!! I’m proud of my home state for taking a step towards progress!
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